Notes:The
Cowboys, back in the field for the second straight year under
Josh Holliday, are playing in their third Super Regional (1999,
2007) and looking for their first trip to Omaha since 1999. OSU
swept three games in the Stillwater Regional and did what few
teams have done this year: rough up Cal State Fullerton
pitching, which entered with the top ERA and WHIP in the
country. The Cowboys scored 19 runs in two wins against
Fullerton. Oklahoma State won 41 games a year ago and followed
it up with 42 regular-season wins, the first back-to-back 40-win
campaigns since 2007-08. Holliday is the first former OSU player
to coach the Cowboys and was a four-year starter who played on
two College World Series teams (1996, 1999). He was named the
Big 12 Coach of the year, and Zach Fish was tabbed Player of the
Year. Fish is a three-year starter whose first career hit was a
grand slam against Dallas Baptist. Vince Wheeland has been
incredible primarily out of the bullpen the past two years,
compiling an 18-2 record. Opponents hit only .208 against him.
Equally filthy is Brendan McCurry, who has allowed two earned
runs and four extra-base hits in 43 innings this season.
Opponents hit .182 against him. Jon Perrin pitched primarily in
relief last year before doubling his innings this year. Donnie
Walton has 21 sacrifice bunts. OSU ranks No. 11 in the nation in
runs. Tim Arakawa ranks No. 11 in the country with 46 walks.

Notes:
The Anteaters are back in the tournament for the first time
since 2011, when they were one out from reaching Omaha but fell
victim to a two-out, two-run rally to Virginia. And now they are
back in the Super Regionals after winning the Corvallis Regional
by knocking off No. 1 national seed Oregon State. Irvine
averaged 4.26 runs a game – among the lowest of Regional teams –
but put up 10 in an opening win over UNLV then 14 against the
Beavers. UCI mixed in small ball with a pair of squeeze bunts
that resulted in three runs and also hit two homers – after
hitting all of 10 in the regular season – in the winners’
bracket win over OSU. Connor Spencer was named the Regionals MOP
by hitting .400 with three doubles, five runs and five RBI. Ace
Andrew Morales, who ranks 13th in the nation in WHIP (0.88),
allowed three earned runs in 11.1 innings in the Regional. Coach
Mike Gillespie topped the 1,000-win mark in his 27 year-career
this season – he coached USC to the 1998 national title and
became only the second person (Arizona’s Jerry Kindall) to win a
national title as a player (USC, 1961) and coach. His staff
includes former Eaters stars Ben Orloff and pitcher Danny Bibona.
Due in part to its large home park, UC Irvine thrives on
pitching and defense. Don’t expect any freebies: the Eaters rank
fourth in the NCAA in fewest walks per nine innings (2.09). Sam
Moore leads the nation with 23 saves. Taylor Sparks has some pop
with a team-leading 25 extra-base hits, including eight triples
(tied for nation’s best), but also has 67 strikeouts. UC Irvine
dropped its final eight conference games of the season and was
considered one of the last teams to make it into the Regionals.